Apple iPad 2012 Teardown: Amazing display, difficult to repair

The 2012 Apple iPad is a solid upgrade and its Retina display is amazing. But as Bill Detwiler discovered, it's still difficult to open and repair.

From the outside, Apple's third-generation iPad may look at lot like it's predecessor, but it's what's on the inside that counts. In this week's episode of Cracking Open, I show how to open the 2012 iPad's case (a frustratingly difficult process) and show you the hardware inside.

Despite all the hardware upgrades, Apple kept the iPad's pricing and options scheme the same. As of this writing, the 2012 iPad is available in two colors (White and Black), two wireless connectivity configurations (Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 4G), and three storage capacities (16GB, 32GB, and 64GB). Prices for Wi-Fi only iPads start at $499 and go up to $699. Prices for Wi-Fi + 4G units start at $629 and go up to $829.

Cracking Open observations

Difficult-to-open case: The 2012 iPad's design and construction are nearly identical to that of the iPad 2. Unfortunately, this means the new tablet's case is just as difficult to open and reseal at the previous model's. You'll need a heat gun or heavy duty hair dryer and a bunch of thin metal or plastic tools to remove the front panel without breaking it.

Retina display: The most significant of update to the 2012 iPad is the new Retina display. This 9.7-inch screen offers a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels at 264ppi. This is four times the iPad 2's total number of pixels, and according to Apple, you won't be able to see the pixels when viewing the new iPad at a distance of 15 inches. And from personal experience, I'll tell you that the screen really is fantastic.

A5X SoC: To run this new display, Apple beefed up the tablet's GPU and RAM. From all the material I've seen, the A5X SoC has a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU (like the iPad 2's A5) and a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4+ GPU (an upgrade from the iPad 2's PowerVR SGX543MP2). The 2012 iPad also has 1GB of RAM, compared to the iPad 2's 512MB. Interestingly, the PlayStation Vita uses the same PowerVR SGX543MP+ GPU, but pairs it with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU.

5MP iSight camera: One of my biggest disappointments with the iPad 2 was the cameras' poor image quality. Luckily, the new iPad's camera will have the same optics as the iPhone 4S. It will offer a 5MP sensor, backside illumination, 5-element lens, hybrid IR filter, and Apple-designed ISP. It also supports 1080p video recording, video stabilization, and temporal noise reduction.

4G LTE support: In the US, the new iPad supports both AT&T and Verizon's 4G LTE networks. This will enable data transfer speeds up to 72Mbps. And if the carrier allows it, you'll also be able to use the new iPad as a personal hotspot. This upgrade helps the iPad compete with Android tablets that already support 4G, such as the Motorola Xyboard.

Larger-capacity battery: To power all these new features, Apple gave the 2012 iPad a battery with significantly more capacity than the the previous version--43Whr compared to 25Whr. Given the new tablet's beefier hardware, battery life remains about the same - 10 hours under normal use and 9 hours on 4G.

Updated 3/19/2012: Changed DRAM manufacture from Elpida to Samsung based on new part number information.

About Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...

Disclosure

Bill Detwiler has nothing to disclose. He doesn't hold investments in the technology companies he covers.

Full Bio

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.

Just to clarify Espressomorning's comment. I think Espresso was stating the fact Apple keeps replacing their tablets every year, and there are people out there who will pay top dollar and sell their devices 12 months later for the next version for less than half of what they paid makes Apple disposable.
They release expensive high quality products to consumers that are replaceable annually, not only Apple, but Samsung, Motorola etc with their tablets and smart phones.

The Apple iPad New Battery is replaceable under the proposed EU Legislation.
Apple have factored in the cost of the battery at 3 times the cost of the Top Line iPad New so there have been no requests for any. ;)
It's far cheaper for Apple that way Bribes are just much more expensive. ;)
Col

Not really surprised with the difficult to repair. Typical Apple. All of their gadgets are like that. You can't [officially] replace the battery. Want a bigger internal drive to store all your music and video? Good luck.
What ever happened to the European Union coming out with a manditory law that stated that all batteries must be able to be replaced? [Apple bribe them?]